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Patrice Wilding
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Published: November 7, 2018

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What do Dolly Parton, Joan Jett, Prince, Santana, R.E.M. and Billy Idol all have in common?

The music of singer/songwriter Tommy James.

The Ohio native’s popular songbook — which includes hits such as “Mony Mony,” “Crimson & Clover” and “Draggin’ the Line” — has been covered by all the aforementioned stars, securing James’ place in the history of music for generations to come.

Local fans will have a chance to hear the songs performed live by the originals, Tommy James and the Shondells, on Saturday, Nov. 10, at 8 p.m. at F. M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre.

During a recent phone call from his home in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, James said he finds the covers of his songs to be gratifying acknowledgments.

“It is very flattering, and I’m very honored to hear, especially new groups, doing the songs, but established artists, too,” he said. “I’m always anxious to hear how others interpret my music. We’ve had over 300 cover versions of our songs. ... It’s amazing.

“I just think it’s a lot of good energy around the music. Most of them are songs people can relate to,” James added. “Simple melodies, nothing terribly difficult, so a lot of different artists can put their own characteristics to the songs. ... All of them kind of made it their own, and I’m kind of amazed about it all.”

A music industry veteran of more than 50 years, James continues to tour every year. In early 2019, he’ll release “Alive,” his first studio album in almost a decade, which joins his career collection of 23 gold singles, nine platinum albums and more than 100 million records sold worldwide. “Alive” will feature mostly new songs with a couple of his classic hits redone, such as a slowed-down, acoustic version of “I Think We’re Alone Now” and a hip-hop-heavy version of “Draggin’ the Line.”

“I hope the public likes it. It’s going to be a different album for me in a lot of ways,” James said.

At his live show in Wilkes-Barre, guests can expect to hear some of the new material plus all his most recognizable hits.

“Thankfully, we’ve got a lot of them,” James said. “The one thing that hasn’t changed much is live performance. It’s just you and the audience doing songs they made hits. I look out and see three generations. I thank the good lord and the fans for the kind of longevity we’ve had. Touring is just as fun as it was all those years ago. I’m amazed at the crowd reaction.”

Among his favorite moments on stage during a show are when he plays songs such as “Crystal Blue Persuasion” and the connection with the audience feels closer than ever, and the “magical moment” created during the new version of “I Think We’re Alone Now,” he said.

“‘Mony Mony’ is great for different reasons — there’s not much oxygen left (after I play that),” James said.

When he’s not in the studio or on the stage, James keeps in contact with fans via his radio show on SiriusXM. It’s odd being on the other end of interviews and musical curation, he said, but it makes for great fun and a learning experience.

James doesn’t shy away from sharing the rich history of his start in music, from getting his break when a Pittsburgh DJ picked up his initially discarded single “Hanky Panky” to contributing to the upcoming movie based on his book, “Me, the Mob and the Music: One Helluva Ride with Tommy James and the Shondells,” which details his entanglement with alleged mafiosos who owned Roulette Records.

“It was crazy and scary at times, because in addition to being an independent record label, it was also a front for the Genovese crime family in New York. That made life pretty interesting,” James said. “We didn’t know when we signed, but learned it incrementally, with time, who (we) were rubbing shoulders with. We were kind of walking on eggshells up there, pretending not to see things we saw.”

He didn’t release the book until all the people he once feared died, he said, but he looks forward to seeing his life story and music career make it onto the silver screen. It’s an arduous process, however, so James keeps busy with performing live for his favorite people: his fans.

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